The Shanghai Metro is the mass rapid urban transit subway in Shanghai City. As of 2011, the Shanghai Metro has 11 metro lines and 273 metro stations.

Metro Line 2

The green-colored Metro Line 2 is most useful for foreign visitors in Shanghai. It connects the Shanghai Pudong International Airport at the eastern end to the Shanghai Hongqiao Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station at the western end. In addition, Metro Line 2 stops at the financial district of Lujiazui (Lujiazui Station) which houses numerous international banks and office buildings.

Furthermore, Metro Line 2 passes by numerous well known tourist attraction spots such as the Oriental Pearl Tower, Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center (all at Lujiazui Station); the Bund and Nanjing Road shopping street (both at East Nanjing Road Station); the People Square and Shanghai Museum (both at People’s Square Station); as well as Jingan Temple (Jingan Station); and numerous hotels and restaurants amongst others.

Metro Line 1

The red-colored Metro Line 1 is the next most useful metro lines for foreign visitors. Like Metro Line 2, it passes by the People’s Square Station which is an important interchange to switch between Line 1 and 2. In addition, it connects Shanghai Railway Station to the north, the hotels and shopping areas in the central as well as Xujiahui shopping malls and the Shanghai South Railway Station to the south.

However, while being an inexpensive and convenient tool to move around Shanghai City, Shanghai’s metro trains and stations are notoriously crowded especially during rush hour peak periods and long public holidays. It is very common to be pushed around by the crowd and to stand for extended period of the trip. Traveling in Shanghai’s metro during rush hour peak periods is a very tiring and energy-sapping experience for elder folks and young children. It is recommended that elder folks and young children plan their journey accordingly to avoid the rush hour peak periods.